posted on October 14, 2000 06:45:42 AM new
Hello! Been lurking here for ages and I really respect your opinions, so I thought I'd ask your advice about this one...
I'm a small time seller who very occasionally buys. I won an auction for a $8.00 back issue magazine on Oct. 1st, and sent a check out on the 3rd. When it still hadn't been cashed by the 10th (no e-mail from seller), I sent him a quick "just checking to make sure the payment got there" message. No reply. Since there's a time issue (it's a gift) I paid by PayPal the next day and sent a message along with it asking him to substitute that for the apparently delayed check. Still no reply.
He's since listed the same issue again, and I have no way of knowing if that's the one I bought or not! Aside from the probable stupidity of sending a PayPal payment to someone who doesn't answer e-mail, what steps should I take next without being a total pest? And how long is a reasonable time to wait for a reply to e-mail?
posted on October 14, 2000 06:50:22 AM new
First of all, if you paid twice you're not a deadbeat (although I'm not saying you're dumb either
Secondly, I would not assume that the back issue is the same one you bought. I buy magazines occasionally and it's not uncommon for a seller to have multiple copies of back issues.
Third, I think you may have erred in expecting your check to be cashed so quickly. You mailed it on the 3rd, assume it took two days to arrive and then maybe there was a weekend or holiday in there (?) even if not, some people don't get to the bank that often, or they are housebound, or had something else come up. It's unprofessional of the seller not to answer your e-mail, of course, but that's not the first time that's ever happened.
This just looks like another case where the buyer and seller had different opinions of time frame for transaction and what level of communication was needed. I'd only worry if you don't get your item or if the person keeps both payments. But the lack of communication would probably make me not want to buy from that seller again.
________
I never had one, and I didn't want one, and I don't, so now I do...
posted on October 14, 2000 08:26:13 AM new
I dont think you a dead beat at all, but I do beleave your thinking your check should have been cashed within the 6 day period was a bit off.
I am a fulltime seller my self and inless I receive a very large checkes buyer will find it can take up too three weeks for me to cash there checks many times buyer already has there item all feed back was exchanged.
here is why if I didnt wait a week or two I would be running to the bank everyday with $5 and $10 deposits.
as far as how long to wait for a reply to email I Reply to email with 12 to 24 hours after I get it. but this time frame works for me.
If I was buying at auction and I wrote a seller asking if they received my payment and I got no reply I wouldnt wonder if I am a dead beat but would wonder if the seller was. exspeacailly if I go to there auction booth and see they are listing more inventory but havent had time to answer email.
WWW.dman-n-company.com
posted on October 14, 2000 01:42:37 PM new
AndieBelle--
Maybe you should try to contact this seller via a different email address. It doesn't sound like he is receiving your communications. Otherwise there is certainly no excuse for someone to just ignore email like that.
posted on October 14, 2000 01:50:25 PM new
It would be nice if PayPal could create a way to alert a sender if payment has been received at other end, such as aknowledgement of receipt or of withdrawl...Like Electronic Greeting Cards do.
Good luck. Hope you get your item soon.
Definiterly neither silly not dead beat...
******************** Shosh
posted on October 14, 2000 02:46:13 PM new
Hi, everybody...
Just heard from the seller, who assures me that he had more than one copy of the magazine, and that he'd take another look for the check. (I definitely would have searched for another e-mail address if he hadn't replied soon.)
That's an excellent idea--notification from PayPal that funds have been withdrawn. That probably would save a lot of panic on both ends!
